Voices, the new interdisciplinary art project for black women founded by global movement to end violence against women and girls, V-Day, continues to invite submissions of poems, monologues and songs from which a new performance piece will be created.
The Voices project is curated by poet and organizer Aja Monet and focusses on black women’s stories in the campaign of ending violence against women—cis women, trans women, and non-binary people—across the African Continent and African Diaspora by providing a platform for black women writers and performers.
For 22 years, and on a global scale, V-Day raised funds for grassroots anti-violence groups, rape crisis services and domestic violence shelters, and created survivor-led work, increasing awareness through art and activism.
The Vagina Monologues and other artistic works curated by V-Day have been performed across the world shattering taboos and making change.
However, in light of recent racial injustice and the current pandemic’s disproportionate impact on communities of colour, the voices of black women artists will take the place of V Ensler’s (formerly Eve Ensler) The Vagina Monologues within the V-Day campaign which she founded.
Ensler said, “we have seen in America and across the world the most hideous murders of black men and women by the police, especially trans women who are put at disproportionate risk, and an escalation of white supremacy…
"I have been doing deep reflection about our V-Day global activist movement to end violence against all women (cis-gender and trans-gender), those who hold fluid identities, non-binary people, girls and the planet—our past and our present and where I believe we need to go in the future…
"I am fully aware of the depth of my privilege, access to networks and resources that have helped to produce my work. I believe this is the moment we need to uplift and be in deepest solidarity with black women: cis women, trans women, and non-binary people across the African Continent and African Diaspora. We need to share networks and resources that will bring their voices into the centre of our movement. I am thrilled to announce the Voices campaign and Aja as the Artistic Creative Director.”